By Zhang Yongxing and Gao Chuan

As a major economy, China plays a very important role in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) , which was formed in 1989 with the aim of promoting free trade in the region, Singapore's Prime Minster Lee Hsien Loong has said.

In a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua, Lee Hsien Loong said that China plays a very important role in the APEC, contributing to the cooperation and working with other APEC members to achieve their common goals and he hopes it will continue to do so.